A litigation and corporate law firm had outgrown its space, sprawling disjointedly over five floors of a Class A office building in New York. A new space across the street offered an opportunity to create a new synergy for the firm, with 64,000 square feet over two floors. The challenge: recreate the sensation of volume and abundant natural light that prevailed in the old offices. Low floor-to-ceiling heights and a lack of direct, natural light were distinct drawbacks in the new offices.

STUDIOS carved the ceiling to expose the deck created a sense of volume and depth, while a generous staircase created an internal connection and opened up a double height space to serve as the office centerpiece. The language of rich wood and subtle, white panel walls unfold into the various parts of the floor. This serves both to orient the user as well as offer views that cut through the dense floor plate, while recreating the energy and warmth of missing sunlight.

The new space delivers streamlined officing, punctuated by natural gathering points that encourage informal interactions. With its expanded vertical volumes and generous palette, the new space captures a sense of freedom that the loss of view and natural light might otherwise have obscured.